Raiders Week 2 training camp storylines: Will Jackson Powers-Johnson return?

Coming into training camp, Antonio Pierce made it known that the team was going to hit the ground running when they got to Costa Mesa. Now, after a bit of a ramp-up period last week and three days of practice, the main storylines from Raiders training camp so far are starting to become more clear. As the calendar flips to August, here are a few things to keep an eye on during Week 2.

Who will separate themselves in key position battles?

The three main battles going on in camp have been talked about at length: starting quarterback, starting cornerback, and backup defensive tackle.

As far as the QB competition between Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew goes, Pierce said in his presser last week that the two need to "stop with the baby steps." While neither QB has played horribly to this point, neither has separated themselves by playing that well, either. Pierce went on to say that it's time for somebody to "grab the bull by the horns and be the guy." Other reports have indicated that Minshew is far more mobile than O'Connell, but hasn't been taking care of the football as well. O'Connell is more limited athletically, but far more accurate. This probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to fans, because it's exactly who these players have been up to this point. Luckily, there's still time for one of them to step up.

When it comes to cornerback, it's becoming evident that the Raiders have three guys who could potentially start opposite of Jack Jones. Brandon Facyson is the veteran of the group, while Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson are both younger players with more upside. Bennett impressed media members who were in attendance last week, and he appears to be the front-runner right now. Richardson is long, athletic and seems to be coming along nicely – he could certainly still challenge for playing time as well. Facyson is more of a known commodity whose experience will keep him early in the season.

At defensive tackle, depth is still a concern. Christian Wilkins is one of the best in the league, and both Adam Butler and John Jenkins are solid veterans who could contribute in meaningful ways this year. After that, though, the depth chart is a ginormous question mark. The team has invested multiple mid-to-late round picks in recent years on the position and so far, none of them have panned out. Byron Young, Matthew Butler, and Nesta Jade Silvera are all homegrown players that need to have better seasons, and Marquan McCall may be in line for a roster spot if none of them do. Otherwise, undrafted free agents like Tomari Fox or Noah Shannon have an outside chance.

Will we see Jackson Powers-Johnson?

The Raiders used a second-round draft pick on the offensive lineman from Oregon in April, and so far, he's seldom been on the field. Fans surely remember how ineffective Kolton Miller was as a rookie when battling through injuries, and just last year the team drafted Tyree Wilson with the 7th pick knowing he would be at least limited during training camp.

For an offensive line that's filling two starting roles while learning a new blocking scheme, every rep together matters. Miller is already missing part of camp due to an offseason surgery, so JPJ missing time too puts this line in a bad spot. The good news is that GM Tom Telesco said that he expects Powers-Johnson to return to practice shortly.

Putting the pads on

The Raiders only have one more practice until they can start hitting each other. Monday will be similar to last week, in the sense that they'll be limited to a glorified walkthrough in shorts and jerseys.

Once the pads go on, the intensity ramps up. The offensive and defensive lines can really start getting after it, and we'll get a much clearer picture of where each unit is at. It's often tough to get feedback on how guys look when nobody's allowed to hit each other, so this week should be telling for a number of different reasons.

The ability to run the offense at game speed will also help bring the quarterback competition into better focus. If the offensive line struggles, maybe the team goes with Minshew, who's significantly more mobile. On the other hand, if the offensive line plays well early on, it wouldn't be surprising to see O'Connell shine.

Once the pads are on, Pierce and the rest of the Raiders' coaching staff will get a much better sense about the team they have. Week 1 may still feel far away, but the Raiders will be playing preseason football in just over ten days. They're far from a finished product at this point, but those exhibition games will help iron out the finer details, and give fans a glimpse of what this team is made of.